Verity Farseer
Note this page may contain spoilers for Assassin's Quest. Read on at your own risk. Verity Farseer, King of the Six Duchies, formerly Prince Verity and King-in-Waiting Verity, is the second son of King Shrewd and Queen Constance. Verity assumes the title of King-in-Waiting after his elder brother Chivalry discovers the existence of his illegitimate son and abdicates the throne. Character Verity is optimistic by nature and very candid. He is the middle child of King Shrewd, between his older brother Chivalry and his younger half-brother Regal. Verity feels different from both, admitting he feels more suited to being a commander than a king. Verity greatly admires Chivalry's charisma and finds his own lacking in comparison, as his bluffness can serve to alienate people. On the other hand, Verity is disdainful of Regal's arrogance and selfishness. Verity is fond of his nephew Fitz and treats him with kindness, often tousling his hair or commenting positively on his growth. Verity tutors Fitz in the Skill and occasionally has him assist as a King's Man. Verity also uses the Skill to "ride along" with Fitz mentally and learn the goings-on around Buck. Verity is devoted to the preservation of Buck and the Six Duchies, willing to sacrifice his public appearance, his health, and ultimately his life to restore peace to the kingdom. Verity is extremely strong in the Skill, and uses it to the detriment of his own well-being to protect the Six Duchies coast. Events Assassin's Apprentice The existence of Chivalry's illegitimate child is brought to Verity's attention first. Verity records the boy's name as FitzChivalry Farseer the same day. With Chivalry's abdication, Verity becomes King-in-Waiting. Verity is the first to bring Fitz news of Chivalry's death at Withywoods. He and Regal are returning to the castle when they encounter Fitz on the road; both are astonished, as Fitz's resemblance to Chivalry momentarily deceives them. Verity is charged with visiting Neatbay and convincing Kelvar to adequately fund the arming of his watchtowers against Red Ship Raiders. Fitz accompanies him in the role of Lady Thyme's servant and as carer for Verity's hound Leon. Verity listens to Fitz's observations of Lady Grace and bemoans his own lack of finesse in political matters, especially as compared to Chivalry. After Fitz advises Grace to encourage her husband to reallocate his funds, Verity is able to come to an agreement with Kelvar and departs Neatbay satisfied. Verity becomes reclusive as attacks by Red Ship Raiders continue, and Regal is sent to find him an appropriate bride. It transpires that he spends almost all of his time in the Seawatch Tower using the Skill to befuddle the raiders and prevent their attacks on the coast of Buck. Fitz is assigned to bring him meals in his tower, and observes that Verity's heavy use of the Skill has taken its toll physically. Verity appears unconcerned with his weight loss and lack of sleep, and Fitz also worries that the seductive lure of the Skill keeps Verity using his talent beyond sense. Shrewd informs Verity that Kettricken, princess of the Mountain Kingdom, has been chosen as his bride-to-be. Verity becomes incensed when told he will have to leave Buckkeep for the wedding during the spring or fall, when Raider attacks are most frequent. He refuses to depart his post, explaining that he will have no ability to repel the Red Ship Raiders from farther inland. Eventually, it is decided that Verity will remain at Buckkeep while Fitz, Burrich, and others travel to Jhaampe for the ceremony there, with Regal taking the vows in Verity's stead. On the morning of the wedding, Verity prepares himself for the corresponding ceremony at Buckkeep, where he will Skill through August to witness Kettricken's vows. Verity receives news through August of Prince Rurisk's death and Fitz's apparent treachery. Verity Skills a message to Fitz and Burrich through August, carefully worded so as to appear that Verity does not suspect Regal's treachery: he commands Burrich to act as King's Man for Fitz, giving him strength so that he may Skill. This plan does not come to fruition, and Regal attempts to drown Fitz in a steam-bath. Verity feels the dying Fitz reaching for him and receives his warning about Galen's betrayal. However, Galen has already touched Verity, ostensibly to act as King's Man for him; instead, Galen begins to drain Verity's already-weakened strength. Verity accepts Fitz's desperate attempt to give him strength and is able to overpower Galen, killing him. Verity commands August to tell Regal that Galen overreached his station, and that Regal should heed the consequences of such actions. Verity Skills through August to appear in Kettricken's mind, sharing himself with her. This action burns the Skill out of August. Verity then releases Fitz, fearing that he may draw too much from his nephew. Royal Assassin Verity has little time for his new wife, consumed as he is by defending the kingdom. He and Kettricken sporadically attempt to conceive an heir, but Verity spends most nights in his map room using the Skill. Verity is aware of these problems in his marriage, but feels incapable of addressing them. He cites Kettricken's bold and stubborn nature as detrimental to their union. Verity summons Fitz to his map room and demands to know why he dreams of a girl in red skirts every night. Verity begins to instruct Fitz in the Skill, teaching him how to control his thoughts. Verity fails to attend to Kettricken's increasing loneliness, which causes her to respond to Regal's company. Eventually she is abandoned by Regal in the woods and set upon by Forged Ones. When she returns, Verity is furious with her for putting herself in danger. He fails to recognize that the men admire Kettricken's defense of herself, and instead humiliates her by chastising her in front of them. Verity asks Fitz to allow him to "ride along" with him using the Skill when Fitz goes searching for Forged Ones on a tip from Nighteyes. Through Fitz's eyes, Verity witnesses three Forged Ones killing and cannibalizing a young girl. Verity's connection with Fitz is broken when Fitz goes into a battle rage. Fearing the worst, Verity and Burrich ride out, but they find Fitz alive. In response, Verity asks Burrich to teach Fitz to use an axe, which is better suited to brawling than a sword. Fitz fears that both Burrich and Verity saw tracks left by Nighteyes during the battle, but Verity says nothing on the subject. Verity assigns Fitz to sail on the warship Rurisk, and continues to use the Skill to observe through Fitz's eyes. Their connection grows weaker over time, as it is not a true Skill-bond; Verity renews the link by touch whenever Fitz returns to Buckkeep. Through Fitz, Verity is able to observe his subjects while he remains in his tower room Skilling. Verity is surprised that Kettricken is still profoundly lonely despite his gift of the Queen's Garden, and that she misses and desires her husband. He orders Fitz to summon Kettricken to him, and grooms himself to meet her. Kettricken explains the research she has been conducting on Elderlings and her conclusion that King Wisdom traveled beyond the Mountain Kingdom to summon them to Buckkeep's aid. Verity becomes invigorated, dismissing Fitz so that he may further discuss Elderlings with Kettricken. After this, Verity and Kettricken become much closer, appearing close and happy in public. They also begin having sex again. Because Verity is out of practice at shielding his own thoughts, this is accidentally Skilled out and noticed by Fitz. Verity and Kettricken approach King Shrewd with their plan: Verity will journey to the Mountain Kingdom in search of the Elderlings once summoned by King Wisdom in the hopes that they will defend the Six Duchies against the Red Ship Raiders. Assassin's Quest Queen-In-Waiting Kettricken bears a still-born child named Sacrifice when she flees back to the mountain kingdom, following Prince Regal declaring that King-in-Waiting Verity has died on his quest to bring back the Elderlings of King Wisdom. When King Shrewd dies, Regal claims the throne for himself. Verity's quest to find the Elderlings was misinformed, King Wisdom discovered not Elderlings but their recorded memories on how to place all of one's memories and Skill into stone. The carved and Skilled stone would come alive with the knowledge and memory of the makers. Discovering this, Verity attempted to create a dragon, a task suggested for no fewer than a coterie of four by himself. The effort both nearly succeeded and nearly killed him before the exiled Kestrel completed it with him. When Verity-as-Dragon flies back to Buckkeep with Kettricken, she takes the rightful name of Queen Kettricken. Her only child is Prince Dutiful, who is the blood-child of Kettricken and Fitz, whose body held the mind of Verity. Later, Fitz would return to the place where the dragons slept, and find Verity-as-Dragon sleeping with them. Despite reaching out with both the Skill and Wit to Verity, Fitz detected only a faint presence, and would finally come to terms with the fact that his beloved uncle and king was truly gone. Category:People Category:The Farseer Trilogy Category:Skilled Category:Deceased